Turkey issues travel alert as pilots abducted in Lebanon

Ankara, Aug 10 (IANS) Turkish government has warned its citizens against non-essential travel to Lebanon and called those already in the country to return home after two Turkish pilot were kidnapped in Beirut Friday.

Earlier in the day, a Turkish Airlines pilot and his assistant were kidnapped in an ambush on a bus in Lebanon's capital city of Beirut, reported Xinhua citing a security source.

Lebanese media said that a group claimed responsibility for the abduction, demanding to release nine Lebanese Shi'ite Muslims who were kidnapped near the Turkish-Syrian border last year to swap the two Turks.